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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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¨,:*@£¶### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ CONSIDERED POOR. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ SOME ARE SHATTERED. @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# ** #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## ** ** ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### ------- * * ------- ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## ** ** ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# ** #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# LIT FROM BEHIND. #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, ** ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: ** ** :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* ------- * * ------- *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ ** ** @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ ** £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ FLOOR. ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ BECOME STILL. ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## ** ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### ** ** ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## ------- * * ------- ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# ** ** #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ** ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,: CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST :,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,:* FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, *:,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨,:*@ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, @*:,¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨,:*@£¶### GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ###¶£@*:,¨
¨¨,:*@£¶## I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ##¶£@*:,¨¨
¨¨¨,:*@£¶# THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? #¶£@*:,¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨,:*@£¶ ¶£@*:,¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨,:*@£ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. £@*:,¨¨¨¨¨
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